Check out these two video testimonials that drive home a super important fact about training with me at APPELL Voice Studio. Singers typically experience more improvement than they ever imagined!
I’d like to share information with you about singing lessons at my studio, but if this page doesn’t answer all of your questions just give me a call – and yes, I give Skype singing lessons! So whether or not you’re in California or Istanbul you’re only a few clicks of a mouse away from taking your voice to the next level with my help. I’m a vocal coach on a mission – to make dreams come true for the singers I train and it all starts with vocal technique.
VOCAL TECHNIQUE
Singing lessons are broken up into two elements – vocal technique and song work. Your first vocal technique lesson will be approximately 45 minutes long. I call this my Introductory lesson. For the first 15 minutes I’ll be sharing with you some great information about how your voice works from the first few chapters of my book, Can You Sing a HIGH C Without Straining? I’ll explain how high notes are produced and why anyone with a healthy voice can extend their rage. This is a very important part of the training. If you understand clearly what’s happening on the inside then all of the exercises make sense. After going over how your voice works you’ll do approximately one half hour of vocal exercises – the beginning of your new journey to the voice you’ve always dreamed of. In the first lesson you’ll learn how to extend the range of your voice, how to breathe correctly for singing, and how to control your tone. After the first introductory lesson, lessons are typically one hour long, but can go longer if the need arises.
Not a requirement, but I highly recommend that singers I train complete the 12 Hour Fundamental Series Lessons before starting work on songs. These Fundamental Series Lessons are designed to give you solid core training in the vocal technique you’ll need to be able to follow the direction I’ll be giving you in a song lesson. In addition to learning how to sing high notes without straining you’ll learn how to develop vibrato, how to pronounce all of the variations of vowel and consonant sounds used for singing, how to breathe correctly for singing and how to sing in tune.
Famous singers that have sold millions of records (like the ones in the slide show above – THE OFFSPRING, DREAM and SAOSIN) have allowed me to be their vocal coach and completed the 12 Lesson Fundamental Series. Follow their example. Lay a firm foundation of vocal technique, then start building on it with stylization and advanced training.
Singers who take more lessons per week will have a better understanding of how their voice works – primarily because they’re so emersed in the training and supervision. Olympic athletes practice 5-6 days per week under the watchful eye of their coach because that system consistently develops world-class athletes. Singers that want to get to world-class level get there faster with more supervised training than home practice. Home practice is important, just not as effective as supervised training in my studio. It’s up to you to decide how quickly you would like to advance and to what level. You can train daily, two to three lessons per week, one lesson per week, a lesson every other week… or as many do who want fast results, two to three hours per day 6 days per week with my intensive training program.
INTENSIVE TRAINING
Some of you may need to get your voice in shape fast – perhaps you have an upcoming performance or if you’re flying/driving in to train with me from another city/country we have a limited amount of time to take your singing to the next level. The typical routine is to do two hours per day six days per week. Some singers (like YouTube superstar Tiffany Alvord) go for three hours per day. My intensive lessons work very effectively and singers who take them advance faster that those who take a lesson and practice for a few days in between sessions.
Singers fly in from around the world to train like this for one week to several months at a time with excellent results. They’ve come from as far away as Germany, France, England, The Netherlands, Japan, Austria, Central America, South America, Australia, New York, Maryland, Alaska, New York, Michigan, Idaho, Tennessee, and Georgia.
ADVANCED TRAINING
After you’ve completed the 12 Fundamental Series Lessons, it’s time to start the Advanced Training Lessons and working on songs. For the Advanced Training Lessons, there are nine 10-hour long series – each series focusing on an important area of vocal technique. The Advanced Training Lessons include 90 hours of comprehensive training carefully designed to give you all of the skills you’ll ever need as a singer. A standard lesson is an hour long, but if you want to be really thorough I offer hour and a half technique lessons. When we start the advanced lessons there’s a lot to cover each time we meet and the extra time is often the best route – especially if you have trouble singing in tune. In an hour and a half lesson we have the time to do comprehensive ear training at each session.
SONG LESSONS
Song lessons are just as comprehensive as technique lessons. Most singers start with doing covers. The cover tunes are used as a tool to teach all of the vocal tricks, runs, and subtle nuances in your favorite songs that make them sound great. Training tip – It’s all of the vocal ornamentation that’s not written in the music that makes the difference. When you have a nice arsenal of vocal tricks in your singing armory, then it’s great to start working on original songs or doing original versions of cover tunes. First you imitate – clone the tricks of you favorite singers. Then integrate – adapt these tricks into your vocal technique. Then innovate – combine these tricks into variations that are uniquely your own. That’s how original style is created. You’ll learn how to apply your new voice with style and how to perform all of the vocal tricks that make for a heartfelt vocal performance.
RECORDING
I teach in a recording studio with a high-end Pro Tools recording system. My recording studio is a fabulous resource for learning songs and stylization! I have all of the tools to get you and your song sounding pro. Song lessons can be any length, but two to three hours is best. You can do hour song lessons, but your voice will improve faster and with better results if we do at least a couple of hours. Singers often do a one hour advanced vocal technique lesson and then with no break we jump right into a two hour song session. The technique lesson warms you up nicely for the song. No rest time needed.
WRITING ORIGINAL MUSIC
If you want to be a pro, you’re going to need great music to showcase your talents. After we start working on songs I can write and produce original music for you, or original versions of cover songs.These days, the best place to showcase your music is on YouTube. When we’ve a finished song, I can take care of shooting a music video for you and help you get set up with a website and YouTube channel. Please go to the video or audio pages for many examples of songs I’ve produced.
TRAINING KIDS
I’ve trained scores of children and have a really good understanding of how to work with kids. If your son or daughter is at least 7 years old, they’re ready for APPELL VOICE STUDIO!
Setting up a voice lesson is easy. Just call the studio number (949) 382-5911 or shoot me an email by pressing the contact link at the top of this page. You can send me an email but unless you live outside the USA it’s easier if you call so I can answer any questions you may have about your voice or training.
How Far Will You Have To Drive? The studio is just minutes away from the cities of Trabuco Canyon, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Ladera Ranch, Laguna Niguel, San Juan Capistrano, Coto de Caza, Lake Forest and Tustin. Now with online Skype training, whether you live in Dana Point, San Clemente, Irvine, Los Angeles or Lithuania you’re only as far away as your computer from training with me.